Transactional Analysis?

[Nat]

Originally Posted by Lynn

I can remember talking about something and then having her interrupt me in order to have me hit something and try to yell or cry, or whatever. It was nutty, and just cut short my real self-expression. I don't know, though, if that's really how it was supposed to be done.

I have no idea either if that's how it's supposed to be done in therapy - though I've been asked to do it. Thankfully only once though. I think it went like this:

Therapist: What are you feeling right now?
Me: I don't know.
Therapist: You are feeling angry.
Me: I feel really exhausted, but I don't feel angry.
Therapist: That's because anger is an exhausting emotion
Me: Hmm. You think?
Therapist: Yes. Now, I want you to take this pillow ...

At least, that's my memory. It's been a good 10 years though.

I've been focusing a lot on the parent/child/adult stuff in the video - just sort of going through different situations in my life and connecting which part I have operated from. I have known about the id/super-ego/ego for a long time, but I never thought about interactions between people with that in mind.

One thing that occurs to me about the one-on-one therapy experience - at least my experience in therapy - is that I have tended to naturally approach it from my kid self. I think I've done a lot of work from that place - but not really addressed what it is to function and communicate well as an adult - unless it's in that parental way.

I'm sure a good therapist has the capacity to counteract this, but it seems like that sort of parent/child dynamic would come pretty naturally in that situation.